Paper Wife

Paper Wife

  - Laila Ibrahim

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't recall how I stumbled onto this book, but I found the title and the blurb intriguing, and after it came up in automated suggestions a few times on different platforms, I borrowed it from KU (my last book before my subscription ended).

The book describes the journey of a young Mei Ling, from her getting unexpectedly married to a young widower settled in California, to building a life in a foreign and distant land. It is only the second book I have read about Chinese immigrants into US, and the only one that takes one through a first hand experience of the actual immigration process and the hardship inherent in it.

I found the first half of the story to be much richer as it focuses on her marriage and immigration, and captures the feeling of uncertainty and fear very well and with sensitivity. I didn't know about the challenges faced by Chinese (and perhaps other) immigrant workers, both legal and illegal, to US in early twentieth century, so it was a new learning. It also offers a brief glimpse into the life and culture of China in those times, and the aftermath of the fall of the Qing dynasty reign.

The second half dealt with the trials Mei Ling underwent as she settled down in the US. This half lacked the tension - though the young family faced many challenges, they were all resolved quickly and with little conflict. It also follows somewhat predictable lines.

Some things left me wondering, though they may be accurate in their depiction of the culture and traditions of the times. Why do Mei Ling's parents fail to ask basic questions about the prospective groom's family and occupation before agreeing to the match? Were they so desperate? If so, the rampant female foeticide during one-child rule is no surprise. The very formal manner in which the husband and wife address each other is also surprising, though one would expect the wife to be subservient in the cultural context.

The book is fast paced and the narrative flows easily. I like happy endings and a message of hope in stories, but this felt a little too simplified. I also want to see some humanity and kindness in characters, and loved June and Kai Li, but they were too-good-to-be-true stereotypes. Overall, I found it a good read, with its context of racial and gender biases, portrayal of a fierce desire in parents to make a better future for their children, and the triumph of the human spirit.